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LEXINGTON - Vince Marrow’s decision to
remain at Kentucky instead of accepting a job at Michigan State will
make him one of the highest-paid position coaches in college football.
Marrow’s new contract,
signed on Feb. 13 and released by UK’s Office of Legal Counsel on Monday, will
pay him $900,000 per year through the 2022 season. Only three football assistant coaches without an
offensive or defensive coordinator title were paid at least $900,000 by public
universities last year, according to a USA TODAY database.
One of those coaches,
former Georgia offensive line coach Sam Pittman, has since been hired as
Arkansas’ new head coach. Another, former Ohio State quarterbacks coach Mike
Yurcich, was recently hired as offensive coordinator at Texas.
Per the terms of Marrow's new contract, he would owe UK $150,000
per year left on the deal if he accepts another coaching position. That buyout
would be waived though if his new job was an FBS or FCS head coaching position
or any NFL coaching position.
“I talked to one of the top coaches in college football last
night and he said he watched all of this and said, ‘You guys have really
got that thing going,’” Marrow said Saturday, one day after announcing he would
stay at UK. “And, for Kentucky to make the investment to keep me here, he
said, ‘You guys are really going in the right direction, it says a lot
about your administration.’”
Marrow, UK's recruiting coordinator, tight ends coach and associate
head coach, will be paid the same salary as offensive coordinator Eddie
Gran next season. Gran’s contract calls for his salary to
increase to $925,000 in 2021 and $950,00 in 2020. He will be paid slightly more than defensive coordinator
Brad White, whose salary is $875,000 in 2020 then escalates to $900,000
in 2021 and $925,000 in 2022.
The raise for Marrow is the latest
sign of the significant investment in football spending by UK during the Stoops
era.
The Courier Journal recently reported Kentucky increased
its football recruiting spending by 30.7% to $1.035 million in 2018-19,
the most recent year data is available. The university opened at $45 million
training facility in 2016, one year after unveiling a $120 million stadium
renovation.
The USA TODAY database reveals a dramatic increase in assistant
coach spending during the Stoops era.
In 2013, Stoops’ first year as head coach, the program used an
assistant coach salary pool worth $2.4 million. Marrow’s salary that year was
$175,000.
UK’s salary pool for the 10 full-time assistant coaches for the
2019 season was $5.15 million. (The NCAA added a 10th full-time assistant to
football staffs before the 2018 season). The program has already committed
$5.07 million in salaries to the eight full-time assistant coaches under
contract for 2020.
A new contract for quarterbacks coach and co-offensive
coordinator Darin Hinshaw’s contract has yet to be released by the university.
His current deal is set to expire in June. Stoops has one opening on his staff
to fill following the departure of special teams coordinator Dean Hood to
Murray State.
UK awarded contract extensions to Gran, White, defensive backs
coach Steve Clinkscale and linebackers coach Jon Sumrall earlier this
offseason. It also signed new defensive line coach Anwar Stewart to a two-year
contract worth $300,000 per year.
Spending on support staff positions like the strength and
conditioning staff and quality control coaches, who do not count toward the 10
full-time assistant positions, has also increased.
UK’s most recent available
financial report to the NCAA listed total football staff spending at $5.7
million in 2018-19, up from $3.35 million five years earlier.
Marrow and Stoops seem likely to point to that investment in
recruiting the next wave of players for the program.
Turning down a recruiting rival with deep pockets – new Michigan
State coach Mel Tucker’s contract calls for a $6 million staff salary
pool – can only help sway prospects from Ohio and Michigan, two states
where Kentucky has found great success in recent years, as well.
“(Tucker) really wanted me, and they really made an effort, so
it was hard,” Marrow said. “The last three days, yes I got a raise, but I
wouldn't wish that situation on anyone, especially when it is two friends (to
work for).
“Now I know how recruits feel when they're down to two schools
and one day it's this school and the next day it's this school. Anything can
trigger (a decision). But, I just have to say, the eight years I've spent here,
they've really invested in me and it really meant something. That really played
a big part. … I'm not just throwing that out. This is a really great
administration to work for.”
KENTUCKY FOOTBALL ASSISTANT SALARIES FOR 2020
Offensive coordinator/RBs coach Eddie Gran: $900,000
Recruiting coordinator/TE
coach Vince Marrow: $900,000
Defensive coordinator/OLB coach Brad White: $875,000
Inside linebackers coach Jon Sumrall: $650,000
Defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale: $500,000
Offensive line coach John Schlarman: $490,000
Wide receivers coach Michael Smith: $450,000
Defensive line coach Anwar Stewart: $300,000
Jon Hale: jahale@courier-journal.com;
Twitter: @JonHale_CJ. Support strong local
journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/jonh.
